Court defers hearing on NIA charge sheet against Headley

Source :

Last Updated: Sat, Jan 07, 2012 07:44 hrs

New Delhi: A Delhi court today deferred till January 21 hearing on arguments on taking cognisance of the charge sheet filed by NIA against David Headley and eight others for planning and executing terror strikes in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai attack.

The court, while posting the matter for January 21, asked the counsel for National Investigating Agency (NIA) and its officials to bring all relevant documents on that day.

"As per the challan, there are nine accused, none of the accused has been arrested. Arguments on question of taking cognisance have been heard in part. A number of documents have been referred. In order to facilitate proper appreciation of arguments it is necessary to have the relevant documents.

"The IO has assured that all relevant documents shall be referred to during the arguments on the next date of hearing," said Special NIA Judge H S Sharma.

The NIA had on December 24 last year filed charge sheet against 51-year-old Headley, his Pakistani-Canadian accomplice Tahawwur Rana and founder of Lashker-e-Taiba terror group Hafiz Saeed.

Besides them, two serving Pakistani Army officials -- Major Iqbal and Major Sameer Ali -- believed to be working for ISI, were also named in the charge sheet filed before the court.

Al-Qaeda operative Illyas Kashmiri, Sajid Malik, handler of Headley, and Abdul Rehman Hashmi, former Pakistani Army officer, were also named in the charge sheet filed against the nine for waging war against the country and other relevant sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.